September 1942 — June 1945

The diary

389 entries in the order Elmer lived them. The first eleven are dated months apart and cover nearly two years of training and island duty; from the day he came aboard The Sullivans he wrote every day. Chapter headings, eleven in all, mark the way, and a map alongside keeps track of where he was as you read or listen. Search for a person, place, ship, or phrase, or simply begin at the beginning.

Every entry can also be listened to. The readings are computer-generated, about 69 minutes in all. The voice is not Elmer’s.

His senior portrait, from the family’s copy of his high school yearbook. The page →

January 1945

Jan 9 1945

Plenty rough. One bogie shot down is miles from us and one over our formation. No damage was done. Main body of troops landed on Luzon today. We are heading into the China Sea to head off Jap fleet if they come down. This will be the first time any U.S. ships have been in here since the fall of the Phillipines. Hope we get something.

Listen0:20

Historical context

EDITORIAL NOTE

Into the South China Sea

The South China Sea raid (designated Operation Gratitude) was an operation conducted by the United States Third Fleet between 10 and 20 January 1945 during the Pacific War of World War II. The raid was undertaken to support the liberation of Luzon in the Philippines, and targeted Japanese warships, supply convoys and aircraft in the region. After attacking airfields and shipping at Formosa and Luzon, the Third Fleet entered the South China Sea during the night of 9–10 January. Aircraft flying from its aircraft carriers attacked Japanese shipping off French Indochina on 12 January, sinking 44 vessels.

From Wikipedia, “South China Sea raid”, text under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article ↗

Jan 10 1945

Nice weather. Now in the China Sea. The landings in Luzon come off without hardly a fight. No sign of Jap fleet.

Listen0:10

South China Sea Luzon, Philippines

Jan 20 1945

Beautiful day. We had a good hot meal and completed fueling. Now heading out of the China Sea. If its always that way in the China Sea they can have it. No trouble from Japs yet.

Listen0:13

South China Sea

* Dates read as Elmer wrote them. An asterisk marks a date that is approximate, or that the diary records differently from the day it actually was; hover or focus it for the correction. Underlined terms link to the glossary. Chapter headings, notes marked “From the records”, and the map’s account of where he was are editorial.

Opening the diary…

After the last entry

What the papers say next

The diary ends on June 18, 1945, with the ship under orders home. The Navy’s paperwork and the family’s papers carry the story from there.

The Sullivans reached San Francisco on July 9, 1945. On July 15 he was advanced to signalman first class, and on July 23 he married Dorothy, the girl he wrote to, in Olympia. He left the ship on October 10, and on October 26, back in Shelton, he registered with the local draft board, “unemployed – just discharged,” and signed the card. The records →